Out of the past 2/23/12

25 years ago: Feb. 23, 1987

Cyril Scherer is the Knight of the Year, receiving the award from the Knights of Columbus Council 1111.

The county commission approves the appointments of C.A. Juden Jr. and Jerry Lorberg to the Cape Special Road District board of trustees; the commission's approval ratifies the recommendation of the Cape Girardeau City Council.

50 years ago: Feb. 23, 1962

There was no more attentive or enthusiastic Cape Girardeau observer of the flight of Lt. Col. John Glenn into space this week than John Freeze; the two men were classmates and friends at the Junior Officers School at Quantico, Va., in 1951.

Work progresses on the redesign of the Capaha Park lagoon; an island has been built up in the lagoon, but will have to dry out before it can be shaped; Exchange Club members will help lay the stone or concrete blocks that will surround the lagoon.

75 years ago: Feb. 23, 1937

New equipment, consisting of a larger dry-cleaning machine and a new type still and condenser, has been installed by the Band Box Cleaners, 419 Broadway.

J. Tom Miles of Farmington, Mo., a graduate of State College here, has written a detailed biography of the Rev. Abram J. Ryan, the Southern poet-priest, who once was a teacher at St. Vincent's College here; Miles' work is being published in the Southern Magazine at Whytheville, Va.

100 years ago: Feb. 23, 1912

LUTESVILLE, Mo. -- This town was visited by a disastrous fire last night, which raged from 10 p.m. until nearly 2 a.m.; the conflagration destroyed six business houses and one residence: the Lutes store, Byrd's grocery, Eaker's grocery, Warren's undertaking, Finley's meat market and Warren's residence.

Cape Girardeau is to have a "White City" amusement park this summer, with moving picture shows, scenic railway, dancing pavilion, band pagoda, merry-go-round and other amusements.

-- Sharon K. Sanders